Letter from U.S. Consulate Office

Dear Friends:

On behalf of Consulate General Ken Fairfax and Deputy Principal Officer Angela Dickey, I want thank you to each of you who participated in the initial roundtable discussion between VAMBA and the United States Consulate Ho Chi Minh City. We're flattered that you delayed travel or even flew down from Hanoi to share your experiences and explain how VAMBA members are shaping Vietnam's future.

We enjoyed meeting each of you and were amazed at the breadth and depth of activities you are undertaking in Vietnam. I personally learned more during our two-hour discussion than with virtually any other group I've met so far in Vietnam. I hope that we are able to continue to build this relationship in the future by involving your membership in meetings with visiting high-level U.S. officials (e.g., the January '08 visit of House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer), industry-specific discussions (e.g., Commerce Undersecretary for Import Administration David Spooner's September '07 Vietnam apparel export monitoring mechanism visit) or even Consulate cultural events like our annual 4th of July party.

I would warmly welcome your thoughts on how we can build this relationship and the type of activities that would be useful to you.

On a personal note, its always great to talk with people with one foot in Southern California and the other in Saigon. Thanks again for your time and your insights. Please let me know of the United States Consulate can be helpful, and I hope to see you soon.